SBHS junior Shaun Sanders isn’t in many after school activities. He’s as quiet as a mouse in class and heads home after school to do homework or practice tennis. A typical introvert. For Sanders, the Coronavirus lockdown is almost business as usual – minus the time in school.

“I tend to be shy, but then again I do like being with close friends at times,” said Sanders. 

Friday the 13th, a traditionally unlucky day, was also unknowingly the last day of school for Broward County students in the 2019-2020 academic year. That was when Broward County Public School’s Superintendent Robert Runcie announced that district-wide schools would be closed due to the threat of the spreading Coronavirus pandemic, forcing students inside and online. Since the implementation of online learning over 160,000 BCPS students have been using Canvas to continue the school year virtually.

Some students, like Sanders, have adjusted well. Other students have not. SBHS sophomore Nicole Newmeyer, an extrovert, hates being home all the time and misses the activities she did with her friends.

“I don’t like being in one place for this long,” said Newmeyer. “It feels like I’m locked up in a house.”

It’s the classic dilemma between introverts and extroverts. Some students; however,  feel as though life hasn’t changed that much. Dafne Ostermunchner, a sophomore at South Broward, is an introvert who feels that social distancing hasn’t phased her much. 

“I have enjoyed being self-isolated more than I thought I would for the past couple of weeks,” said Ostermunchner.

Other students didn’t realize having school as a part of their daily routine was essential for them, as the days seem to be endless now. SBHS sophomore Hristina Kostadinova, an extrovert and a member of the high school track team, hates the disruption in her schedule.

“I miss how I woke up early, went to school, and then I went to practice,” said Kostadinova. “Now I’m home all day.” 

Other students have felt that they have experienced a decrease in their productivity since the start of online learning.

 “I lack the motivation to do stuff when I am not physically in school,” said Newmeyer. 

But whether they are introverts or extroverts, many have similar thoughts on the pandemic at hand. Contrary to common belief, children and young adults can catch the Coronavirus; however, for this age group, the virus may be asymptomatic and nonfatal. 

“This [situation]has made me anxious to find out what’s going to happen in the future,” said sophomore Hristina Kostadinova. 

Students are nervous about getting sick and angry as they see others breaking the mandated precautions restrictions. Some young adults nationwide have been going out in groups larger than ten people and are not following the CDC’s recommendation for self-isolation. This has infuriated a few students like SBHS sophomore Sophia. 

“They aren’t the only people in the world going through this,” said Sophia. “We are all making sacrifices. Ones that cannot even be close to mirroring sacrifices doctors and politicians are making.”